There isn’t a single industry that has escaped this economic downturn. In the lodging sector, reduced business travel and cut backs on vacationing have made their mark on occupancy rates across the country. In December of 2009, Ray Cirz, chief executive of appraisal firm Integra Realty Resources, reported that the hotel occupancy rate in Manhattan fell to 75 percent for the first time since 2004. Room rates at the time were down 25 percent from the year before. It’s a scenario that’s been replicated in every market; with reservations down, slash rates to fill rooms. The danger of that practice? It still costs just as much to have a room occupied, unless you take steps to reduce operating expenses. So that’s what many are doing – finding ways to make filling a bed less expensive.

Without a doubt, the most significant line item under a hotel’s operating cost umbrella is energy. Lighting, cooling, heating, and supplying water to a hotel and its guests is pricey. Therefore, it’s the smartest place to look for savings. But it’s impossible to reduce energy spend without first understanding your consumption. That’s where the power of the utility bill comes into play.

Utility billing is a goldmine ...